Manchester United was in a commanding position to reach the Carabao Cup final after a 3-0 victory in the first leg of their semi-final against Nottingham Forest at The City Ground.
The Red Devils took a first-half lead as Marcus Rashford lit up the night with a stunning solo goal before Wout Weghorst and Bruno Fernandes added their names to the scoresheet to give United a three-goal cushion ahead of the second leg.
Forest had their chances in the game and believed they had an equalizer in the first half, only for Sam Surridge’s effort to be ruled out for offside. The spotlight was on Rashford all night, and his confident display was a reminder of just how far he has come since bursting onto the scene as a teenager.
His 10th goal in 10 games for United further underlined his importance to the team.
Fernandes’ late third goal rounded off the scoring and gave United a healthy lead going into the second leg.
The Portuguese star was at the center of everything United did going forward and will be a crucial figure if they are to reach the final.
Erik ten Hag’s team will be confident of progressing to the final, but Forest will be keen to take advantage of the return leg at Old Trafford and try to keep their cup dreams alive. It promises a thrilling second leg that could see Manchester United take a step closer to their first major trophy since 2017.